Expos and Festivals What Do You Think?

[jopj]

An open commentary

I have noticed quite a few posts and tweets regarding the various Expos/Festivals that have occurred recently. I am having such mixed emotions about what I have read. What has prompted my emotional discontent is the comparisons and oftentimes blatant suggestions that one is better than the
other.  I have some questions that I would like to ask:

1. Is there a difference between a trade show and a consumer show?

2. Is your attendance complementary?

3. What is your role as a blogger at the event?

4. Have you offered to share your knowledge at these events through speaking or volunteering?

5. Do you detect a change in the existing venues or in the industry?

6. Who benefits most from events of this kind?

7. What are you looking for at a trade show?

8. What are you looking for at a festival?

I have my thoughts, though I would like to hear from you all before I make a commentary. Thanking you in advance for your input.

[jopj]

Thanks for taking the time to comment, good thoughts.

[Xavier]

1. I don’t get the difference between both (blame it on my bad English :P)

2. No as I don’t say I am a journalist/blogger. I write but this is just for me and you.

3. Meeting people, discovering teas/things/companies…

4. No.

5. Yes in some products and trends but I don’t know if what happens in Europe would really happen in the USA that quickly.

6.Hopefully, tea but it needs to be well advertised to bring new people. Then companies (otherwise, they wouldn’t come).

7. People, teas, products, ideas.

8. See 7

[Gingko]

*Now you’ve got me started… :-p

I would like to see more tea shows and tea festivals. But I absolutely HATE it when they charge admission, especially when the event is basically about promotion and advertising booths. I think it’s reasonable that the organizer charges participating vendors a fee. But I don’t think it’s reasonable they charge visitors a fee, unless it’s a big event as those in China or Malaysia, where you can surely get good deals of tea that justifies the admission charge. If they don’t think they can afford a event without charging visitor admission, they had better figure out a way. I like the set up of World Tea Expo. They don’t charge retailers admission, because retailers are the “customers” of the B2B event. 

I went to a Wedding trade show (to help out a friend in the industry) that charge a big visitor admission. But the “visitors” there are captive audience and they had to find certain services for their weddings. But for tea, I myself wouldn’t want to spend $20 on a trade show that offers no more than small samples – unless I want to sell things to people there, but not as a potential buyer.

[bram]

In short: it has to be worth the price, whatever that means for you. Would $2,- be ok? or $5?. If it was a good event?

[Gingko]

* @bram I think if it’s basically commercial promotion event, then it should be free, and should have free gifts for people to be advertised on. But that’s just what I think. People are paying for tickets of these events all the time, so I guess I’m only one of those who are not willing to pay :-p

The activities I’m willing to pay for would involve cultural exhibition and/or performance and/or significant amount of tasting experience. But interestingly so far most of this kind of activities I’ve attended (mostly in museums, colleges or local markets) are free to visitors. 

[Gingko]

* The wedding show I attended was actually pretty good. I didn’t pay for it. But I thought even if I paid for it, the numerous wedding cake and chocolate fountain tastings were sort of worth it. So I guess getting something to take home or put in mouth would always be nice 🙂

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